Kodak Acquires ASF's Digital PIC Technology

Eastman Kodak has reached an agreement to acquire Applied Science Fiction's proprietary digital dry film-processing technology, Digital PIC”?? and other key assets. Digital PIC rapidly develops standard color negative film without chemical mixing or plumbing. The process simultaneously renders a digital image file that can be used to print photographs and write images on a CD. Kodak plans to link the rapid film process technology to photo kiosks to create automatic picture machines for film and digital cameras.

“Our goal is to give consumers greater flexibility, capability and access to their pictures taken with photographic film or digital cameras,” said Dan Palumbo, president, consumer imaging products and services at Kodak. “It's a fact that virtually every picture taken can be improved for color, brightness, and composition. We are putting all of that power, including innovative film processing, in the hands of consumers. All of our research tells us that's exactly what consumers want. For this reason, Kodak is pleased to acquire Applied Science Fiction's assets. As a result, Kodak's will be the first and only kiosks capable of taking any input, including film, and giving the consumer exactly the prints they want, in minutes, not hours or days.”
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These kiosks will appeal both to existing photo retailers who want to give consumers greater access to their pictures as well as to the expanding channels for picture-taking activities such as vacation and entertainment venues. “Preview and select is a concept that has proven to offer strong consumer benefits,” Palumbo said. “By linking it to kiosks, we take the benefit to a whole new dimension in terms of accessibility and ease of use.” (Kodak: www.kodak.com; Applied Science Fiction: www.asf.com)